James B Black

The Los Angeles Music Center has named Mt. St. Mary's College executive E. Lyle Marshall as its new vice president of finance and administration, officials said Tuesday. Marshall replaces James B. Black, who served as the center's chief financial officer until September, 1991, when he was put on paid leave after disclosures that the center erroneously overstated its fund raising by $1.3 million. Black's job was temporarily filled by an Arco financial executive loaned to the center.

As part of a secret settlement, the Los Angeles Music Center paid at least $150,000 in salary and benefits to a former vice president after he alleged that he was made the scapegoat for the center's embarrassing financial problems. The former executive, James B. Black, told The Times that those financial difficulties largely resulted from lavish spending by Music Center President Esther Wachtell, who he said ignored his repeated warnings about overspending.

Officials of the Los Angeles Music Center confirmed Monday that a key financial executive has left his post after an erroneous announcement earlier this year that the center had met its fund-raising goal. The duties of Music Center Vice President James B. Black have been filled since Aug. 28 by an executive lent to the music and theater complex by Arco, said Music Center Chairman Ronald J. Arnault, who also is a top Arco corporate official.

The Los Angeles Music Center has named Mt. St. Mary's College executive E. Lyle Marshall as its new vice president of finance and administration, officials said Tuesday. Marshall replaces James B. Black, who served as the center's chief financial officer until September, 1991, when he was put on paid leave after disclosures that the center erroneously overstated its fund raising by $1.3 million. Black's job was temporarily filled by an Arco financial executive loaned to the center.

At a new resort atop the red lava cliffs of Lanai, Hawaii, dozens of wealthy Southern California arts patrons congregated last June for four days of dining and dancing, golf and boating. The excursion was organized as the capstone of the Los Angeles Music Center's annual fund-raising drive--and the guests were there, at $20,000 a couple, to contribute their share.

As part of a secret settlement, the Los Angeles Music Center paid at least $150,000 in salary and benefits to a former vice president after he alleged that he was made the scapegoat for the center's embarrassing financial problems. The former executive, James B. Black, told The Times that those financial difficulties largely resulted from lavish spending by Music Center President Esther Wachtell, who he said ignored his repeated warnings about overspending.

Pasadena's YMCA has grown beyond its building's capacity, so its directors signed a lease this month to move into a facility twice the size of its current site, officials said Tuesday. The organization will move to a 3,600-square-foot space in the Altadena Professional Building this month from its current 1,450-square-foot site, said James B. Black, YMCA chief executive officer. "The decision to move should have been made three years ago," Black said.

The Los Angeles Music Center, which suffered a major fund-raising embarrassment last year, has reached a reduced, $15.5-million goal for 1991-92 and set an even lower goal for next year, officials said Tuesday. Last year, center officials announced they had met a $17.6-million goal, but weeks later said there was an error and the center had failed to reach its fund-raising goal for the first time in 17 years.

Developer and civic activist James A. Thomas, who led the prestigious Los Angeles County Music Center through the most tumultuous year in its three decades, said Wednesday that he will not seek a traditional second term as chairman of the center's Board of Governors. During his tenure, Thomas helped clean up a series of embarrassing incidents that began with a fund-raising controversy two years ago and led to the resignation of center President Esther Wachtell.

The Pasadena Family YMCA has shut its doors amid mounting debts and a state attorney general's investigation into its finances, leaving the city without a Y for the first time in 113 years. Dozens of employees lost their jobs as a new management team changed the locks Friday on the main facility, located on Pasadena's eastside, and began exploring ways to pay off more than $1 million in debts.

At a new resort atop the red lava cliffs of Lanai, Hawaii, dozens of wealthy Southern California arts patrons congregated last June for four days of dining and dancing, golf and boating. The excursion was organized as the capstone of the Los Angeles Music Center's annual fund-raising drive--and the guests were there, at $20,000 a couple, to contribute their share.

Officials of the Los Angeles Music Center confirmed Monday that a key financial executive has left his post after an erroneous announcement earlier this year that the center had met its fund-raising goal. The duties of Music Center Vice President James B. Black have been filled since Aug. 28 by an executive lent to the music and theater complex by Arco, said Music Center Chairman Ronald J. Arnault, who also is a top Arco corporate official.

Music Center President Esther Wachtell, who recently reached a $200,000 resignation agreement, repeatedly asked the nonprofit performing arts center to reimburse her for political contributions, according to records and interviews. Wachtell's former vice president said he reimbursed her with center funds, but Wachtell denied the allegation. From 1988 to 1991, Wachtell wrote memos seeking repayment of $4,000 in donations to politicians including Gov.